Operator&#39;s bench



March 7, 1933.

W. STROBRIDGE OPERATOR" s BENCH Filed March 7, 1931 3 Sheets-Sheet l i mi? Zmvenfor'; W'Ziz'am sirozragqe attorneys March 7, 1933. w. STROBRIDGE OPERATORS BENCH 3 Shets-Sheet 2 Filed March 7 1931 lweutor Wald/77 fro rz'i e March 7, 1933. w. STROBRIDGE OPERATOR S BENCH Filed March 7, 1931 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 Imuenton 7' 1 (Ittox megs latentecl Mar. 7, 1933 UNITED STATES PATENT WILLIAM ST'ROBRIDGE, OF SYRACUSE, NEW YORK, ASSIGNOR TO UNITED STATES- OFFICE 4 HOFFMAN MACHINERY CORPORATION, OF NEW YORK, N. Y., A CORPORATION OF DELAWARE OPERATORS BENCH Application filed March 7,

is for use in connection with garment pressing machines and the like wherein foot actuated levers are employed to effectuate or bring about certain operations. With machines of such type, that is where the operator is stand- 15 ing and depressing one lever after another,

and consequently raising one foot and then the other, the operation becomes fatiguing, and particularly so to Women. The present invention provides means whereby the op- 55 erator may remain seated and readily bring any one or another, and in some instances two, of the actuating devices, and consequently the corresponding lever or levers, into, operation to effectuate the desired re- The invention comprehends and includes any combined bench or seat and actuating device which may be positioned with reference to a machine with a vie'w'of bringing such devices into cooperative relation with the operating mechanism of the machine.

Furthermore, the invention includes means for lockingthe bench to the machine, said means being such that the locking is effected "T automatically as the bench is positioned and is likewise readily releasable by the operator.

One embodiment of the invention is disclosed in the annexed drawings wherein:

Figure 1 is a perspective view of the bench 4.) with the actuating levers carried thereby in operative relation with the. machine levers, the latter being broken away, and the figure also disclosing the looking or attaching means;

' Figure 2, a side elevation with parts in sec- 1931. Serial No, 521,029.

tion showing the bench attached to a machine frame and the lever of the machine and bench in operative relation;

Figure 3, a similar view with the bench in h its detached position;

' Figure 4, atop plan view of the structure with parts in section, the bench being locked to the machine frame; and

Figure 5, a'vertical sectional view on the line V-V of Figure 2; In the drawings, 1 denotes aportion of the main frame of a garment pressing machine having four levers 2, 3, 4 and5 fulcrumed upon a shaft, as 6, the. latter being secured in I, x the frame 1. The levers are provided at their outer ends with the usual foot piece 7 They are also connected to various operating elements, not shown, through draw links designated generally by 8-throughout the series, which linkslead to operative parts such as l head closing and opening devices; heavy pressure applying means; and steaming and vacuum valves. It will be understood, of course, that'in the'broader aspect of the invention, as above set forth, the lever 2, or a I plurality of levers, may be present in the machine.

Normally the levers, which will hereinafter be denominated machine levers are held in their elevated positionby a spring, as 9, one I under each lever. The arrangement so far described is common in garment presslng machlnes on the market.

The machine frame 1, atv each side thereof, and adjacent the forward portion (see more 80 particularly Fig. 4) is provided with a fixed outwardly extending stud, the studs being numbered 10 and 11 respectively. These studs, as will be apparent, provide one element of the locking means or mechanism employed to hold the workmans bench orseat in proper relation to the machine levers. The bench in the instant case may be said to comprise a platform 12 secured to a carriage, de-

noted generally by 13, p f bl fo d 96 from pipes and fittings. The forward pipe element, denoted by 14, is employed, as will hereinafter appear, as a fulcrum for certain operating elements.

Mounted upon the rear portion of the platform 12 is a bench or seat 15.

Fulcrumed upon shaft 14 is a lever of the first order, the rear arm 16 whereof extends upwardly through the platform 12 and is provided with a foot piece 17. Stop lugs 18 carried bythe arm 16 extend laterally from said arm and abut the under face of the platform 12 and prevent the lever from swinging upwardly too far. The second arm of the lever 16, which extends forwardly of the shaft 14, has formed integrally therewith a cross bar or member 19 and extending forwardly from said bar are two arms 20 and 21. Said arms are spaced apart a distance sufficient to allow the arms to engage the studs 10 and 11 respectively when the bench and the operating parts carried thereby is pushed up into position with reference to the machine. Each of the arms 20 and 21 is provided on its under face, at the forward portion thereof, with a notch 22 and a camming surface as 23. The operationis such that as the bench is pushed from the position shown in Figure 3 to that of Figure 2 the eamming surface 23 will first contact the pins or studs 10 and 11, rocking the forward member 16 of the lever upwardly and then allowing the arm to drop downwardly so that the notches 22 will engage the studs and hold the bench in locked relation to the machine frame.

Fulcrumed upon the shaft 14 are a plurality of levers, designated by 24, 25, 26 and 27, held in proper spaced relation with reference to'each other and to the machine levers 2 to 5,; inclusive, by spacing collars, denoted throughout by 28. These levers, which will hereinafter be termed operating levers, are of the second order and are given a substantially L-shaped form. The lower rearwardly extending portion of each lever is bifurcated and a roller 29 is mounted between the bifurcated portions at the bend of the lever ;-the roller, when the parts are positioned, contacting the upper face of the machine lever with reference to which it is positioned. Each of the levers 24 to 27 respectively is provided at its upper end with a foot piece 30, said foot piece, when the parts are brought to locked and operative position, as shown in Fig. 2, extending upwardly within easy reach of the foot of the operator. This is due to the fact that the machine levers act as camming surfaces with reference to the operating levers and tend to throw the same upwardlv to a sufficient degree to render them readily accessible when the bench is locked to the machine frame.

hen it is desired to remove the bench from the machine it is only necessary that the operator place his heel upon the foot piece 17 sive will swing forwardly and will come in contact with the stop bar 19 and be held in the position shown in Figure 3 by said bar. The bar, of course, which is connected to the lever 16, 16, cannot move downwardly beyond the position shown in Figure 3 by reason, of the fact that the stops'18 will be in engagement with the underface of the platform 12.

From the foregoing it will be seen that the bench, when rolled up to the machine, will be automatically locked thereto and the operat ing levers brought into cooperate relation with the machine levers. The operator may then depress any one of said operating levers to bring about the desired operation in the machine.

In the claims the terms bench; operators bench; or mobile bench are intended to cover any bench broadly, unless by reason of the context of. the claims another construction'is indicated.

So too the term carriage is to be genericallyconsidered and to be understood asincluding the framework, the wheels, and the superstructure.

lVhat is claimed is:

1. In combination with an operators bench, means carried thereby for locking the same in working relation with a machine having at least one operator operated device for initiating or eifectuating an operation; and means also carried by the bench and adapted to extend into operative relation to said device and likewise to such position that it may be actuated by the operator for moving the operator operated device.

2. A structure as set forth in claim 1, wherein the bench is mounted on a carriage.

3. A structure as set forth in claim 1, wherein the locking means comprises a pivoted member automatic in its engagement with a fixed portion of the machine when the bench is moved into operative position with reference to the machine and means is provided whereby the operator while occupying the bench may release the same.

4. In combination with an operators bench, gravitating locking means carried thereby and cooperating with a fixed portion of a machine to be operated to lock the bench and machine together, said machine having at least one operator operated device for initiating or efi ectuating an operation; and means also carried by the bench and extending into operative relation to said device and likewise to such position that it may be actuated by the operator for moving the operator operated device.

5. A structure as set forth in claim 1, wherein the means for locking the bench to the machine includes a lever of the first order pivotally mounted on the bench with a foot piece extending upwardly from the inner end thereof the opposite end being provided with means to engage a fixed portion of the machine.

6. In combination with an operators bench, a lever of the first order fulcrumed thereon with one end in position where it may be readily reached by the operator, the opposite end being provided with means to engage a fixed portion of a machine to be operated; and at least one lever of the second order fulcrumed upon the bench, said lever, when the carriage is brought to its locked position with reference to the machine to be operated, overlying an operating'element on said machine.

7. In combination with an operators bench adapted to be connected to a machine to be operated and having at least one outwardly extending pedal lever, for initiating or effectuating an operation; means for securing said bench to the machine to be operated; and means carried by'the bench and overlying the pedal lever when the bench is locked to the machine; said means serving, when depressed by the operator, to actuate the pedal lever.

8. In combination with a mobile operators bench adapted to be connected to a machine to be operated, the latter having at least one foot lever for initiating or efi'ectuating an operation in said machine; means carried by the bench for locking the latter to the machine; a lever fulcrumed upon the bench and overlying a foot lever carried by the machine aforesaid; and a roller carried by said first named lever and bearing upon the upper surface of the foot lever when the bench is locked in place.

9. In combination with an operators bench, a plurality of operating levers of the second order pivotally mounted at the forward end thereof, the upper end of the levers extending into a position where they may be readily actuated by the operator, the opposite ends of said levers being adapted to overlie a plurality of machine levers extending outwardly from a machine to be operated, said machine levers underlying the first named levers; means for securing the bench to the machine to be operated; and means carried by said bench securing means for limiting the downwardly swinging movement of the operating levers when the bench is detached from the machine.

10. In combination with a bench, a lever of the first order pivotally secured to the bench and provided with outwardly extendmg arms, said arms at their outer ends each i being provided with a notch; and a plurality of levers of the second order likewise pivotalthe notches being designed to engage fixed elcments carried by the machine to lock the 7 bench to the machine. p

11. In combination with an operators bench, means carried thereby for locking the same in working relation with a machine having at least one operator operated device for initiating or effectuating an operation; means also carried by the bench and extending to such position that it may be actuated by the operator for moving the operator operated device; and means for locking the bench to the machine in working relation; said means containing a lever of the first order fulcrumed upon the bench, the inner end of the lever extending upwardly in position where it may be readily pressed downwardly by the op erator, stops to limit the upward movement of said lever, and means at the outer end of the lever to engage a fixed portion of the machine to be operated. V

12. In combination with an operators bench, a shaft extending transversely of the forward portion thereof; a plurality of op erating levers of the second order fulcrumed upon the shaft, said levers being adapted to overlie machine levers of a machine to be op- I: erated; a roller carried by each of said actuating levers and contacting the machine levers; a lever of the first order fulcrumed upon the shaft, the inner upper end of said lever extending upwardly within easy reach of the operators foot; stops carried by said lever for limiting its upward movement; a cross bar carried at the forward end of the outer arm of the lever, said bar underlying the operating levers; and a pair of arms extending forwardly from said bar, each bar adjacent its outer end and at its lower face being notched and adapted to engage a pair of studs extending from the machine frame when the bench is moved forwardly into operative relation with the machine.

13. A structure as set forth in claim 12, wherein the forward under faces of the arms are upwardly inclined from the notches 551 whereby the arms will be automatically raised through contact of such inclined faces with the studs. i

lt. In combination with an operators bench, a lever carried by the bench for actu- 1 25 ating a foot lever of a machine to be operated; and means also carried by the bench for locking the bench to the machine, said means, in part at least, underlying the actuating lever and forming a rest therefor when the 7x30 bench is moved out of operative relation with the machine.

15. A structure as set forth in claim 14;, whereinthe foot lever is formed with an upwardly inclined face and the actuating lever carries a roller which rides up on said face as the bench is brought into operative relation with the machine, whereby the actuating lever is rocked in I an upwardly direction away from the rest.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification.

WILLIAM STRO-BRIDGE. 

